


A simple cure

by Windfighter



Series: Iron Man-bingo card 17 [2]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Gen, Hurt Tony, Hurt/Comfort, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Touch-Starved, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 05:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19846948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Windfighter/pseuds/Windfighter
Summary: Anxiety fills Tony while he's trying to work. It gets bad enough that he decides to take a break and eat something, but the empty kitchen makes his anxiety even worse.Bruce might just have the cure he needs for it.





	A simple cure

**Author's Note:**

> summaries are hard and I will forever hate writing them.
> 
> For the Iron Man-bingo and the square "Getting a hug". It was supposed to be something cute with Peter giving him a surprise hug during one of their workbinges but nope, of course I am unable to write anything cute. So instead have some Hurt Tony!

Tony was getting anxous. His legs kept moving, his fingers couldn't stop playing with whatever came in his reach (right now that was a pen and the constant clicking was driving him insane but he couldn't stop), his chest felt tight, he couldn't breathe and his stomach felt uneasy. He was used to the feeling, had lived with it his whole life, but usually he could tell what caused it. Today he couldn't, which only made him even more anxious. He started pacing his workshop, tried distracting himself with work, but his fingers started playing with a knife and he ended up cutting his palm.

”Shit!”

He dropped the knife to the floor. His hands were shaking and he decided to give up for the moment, take a break. It was time for some type of meal anyway and he left the workshop. He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his hands, blood dripped from his fingers and he shook his hand to get it off. He pulled his injured hand through his hair, winced at the pain and left traces of blood in his hair and on his face.

The kitchen was empty when he arrived and he hesitated, bit his lip. His eyes jumped between the stove, the coffee machine, the fridge, the table, the stove, the fridge, the stove, the table, the coffee machine. His body started trembling and nausea threatened him. He wrapped his arms around himself, gripped at his sleeves. He heard steps that got quicker, closer, and he whipped around, pressed his back against the fridge. Bruce entered, his eyes widened when they fell on Tony. Relief flooded through Tony when he laid eyes on his friend, made him more anxious because why and he hugged himself tighter, blinked again and again and again as his eyes started getting watery.

”Tony? Are you okay?”

Bruce stepped closer, put his hand on Tony's shoulder. Tony's knees gave up, buckled under his weight and he fell forwards, fell against Bruces's chest. Bruce wrapped his arms around Tony to steady him and... oh!

The anxiety and fear melted away. Tony blinked in surprise, then wrapped his own arms around Bruce and buried his face in Bruce's shoulder.

”Thanks”, he whispered.

”You're welcome? How are you?”

Bruce tried to pull away, but Tony gripped him harder, not yet ready to give up the release Bruce had given him. Bruce patted his back.

”We can hug some more later, but you're bloody and I want to make sure you're okay.”

Tony released his grip, nodded and Bruce led him to the table and sat him down before cleaning him up and taking care of the cut. Tony barely noticed what Bruce was doing, still reeling in the safety Bruce's touch provided him.

”Want to tell me what happened?”

”I...” Tony blinked. ”I honestly don't know. I just...”

”It's okay. Have you eaten?”

Tony shook his head, leaned forward, but Bruce held him up.

”I'll make you a couple of sandwiches and then we'll sit in the couch for a while, okay?”

Tony nodded. Bruce got up, went to the fridge, and the disappearance of Bruce's touch made Tony's body restless so he got up, went to the living room and sank down in the couch. He tapped his fingers on the table, on the arc reactor, scratched at his arm. He tried to focus on the sounds Bruce was making in the kitchen, tried to count his breaths, but there was an emptiness clawing in him that he couldn't shake but at least now he _knew_ , now he _understood_ , but it didn't help. His body started trembling. He heard the door to the fridge open and close and Bruce's steps were coming closer, Bruce was infront of him, held a plate towards him and Tony felt blood rush from his face, his stomach turn and his hands were shaking violently. He wanted so desperately to laugh it away but only managed a strangled noise. Not even the usual ”I don't like being handed things” came over his lips, but Bruce seemed to understand and put the plate next to him on the couch.

”You should probably talk to someone about that.”

Bruce sat down next to him, pulled him closer. Tony noticed his awkward movements, realized Bruce wasn't completely comfortable with being used as a teddybear but for the moment, when he all but melted in Bruce's arms - his muscles relaxing, the nausea disappearing, the anxiety no more than a bad memory - he couldn't find it in him to care. Bruce twisted beside him, ended up with his back against the armrest and Tony leaning against his chest. Tony's breaths were deep, his eyes had slid close. He wasn't about to fall asleep, but apparently Bruce's embrace had been just what the doctor ordered. Bruce hugged him tighter.

”Next time”, he laughed, ”just come to anyone of us before it gets this bad.”

Tony wanted to say something witty or sarcastic, but only a soft ”mmm” escaped him. Bruce pulled his fingers through Tony's hair before embracing him again.

”And don't forget to eat your sandwiches.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm actually... somewhat happy with this story? I dunno, writing it was pretty intense and I'm sure there are numerous ways I could make it better (by getting someone to help me with the editing-process which I never engage in anyway probably) but eh, I liked how it turned out so no use worrying about that \o/


End file.
